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La Liga outfit Barcelona are one of the most prestigious football clubs in the world. The 26-time Spanish champions have had the privilege of fielding some fine footballers over the years, but none have been more impactful than the great Lionel Messi.
The Argentine superstar joined Barcelona back in 2000 when he was only 13 years old. Over the next 21 years, he forged an unshakable legacy at the Camp Nou, becoming the club’s and La Liga’s all-time top scorer.
Leading from the front, the majestic forward helped Barca bag impressive wins against the best teams in Spain and Europe. During his 17-season stay with the senior team, he helped the Blaugrana to 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League triumphs, and seven Copa del Rey trophies, amongst other honors.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games for Barca across competitions, joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent last summer. The 35-year-old still has plenty of football left in him. But his advanced age, alongside the length of his contract (June 2023) with PSG, has seemingly affected his market value.
The Copa America winner’s current market value, as per Transfermarkt, stands at €50 million, which is certainly not as lofty as one might expect. As a matter of fact, as many as four Barcelona players are more valuable than the PSG man right now.
Below, we will check out who they are. Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at five Barca stars who have a higher market value than Lionel Messi as of July 2022:
#4 Gavi - €60 million
Gavi is one of the most exciting young talents in Europe. The 17-year-old central midfielder has been at Barcelona since 2015 and is seemingly improving with each passing day.
He is a fantastic passer, knows how to carry the ball into the opposition third, and is not afraid to shoot as well. The 2021-22 season marked his breakthrough campaign for Barcelona. He played 47 games for the club across competitions, recording two goals and six assists.
Gavi, who is valued at €60 million right now, has also become a regular under Luis Enrique in the Spanish national football team. The teenager already has 10 international caps (one goal) to his name.
Gavi’s current contract with the Blaugrana runs out in June 2023, but he is expected to sign an extension sooner rather than later.
#3 Ansu Fati - €60 million
Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati has the potential to be one of the best forwards in the world. He is lightning quick, does not fumble his lines in the final third, and is an excellent decision-maker. When fit, Fati has the quality to bring even the best of defenders to their knees.
Unfortunately, the €60 million-rated youngster has had a tough time keeping himself fit lately. The La Masia graduate enjoyed his breakthrough campaign in the 2019-20 season, scoring eight goals and providing an assist in 33 appearances across competitions.
A couple of months into the 2020-21 campaign, he injured his meniscus, missing 47 matches because of it. He ended the season with five goals and four assists in 10 games in all competitions.
Last season, Fati returned to action in September, but endured consecutive knee and hamstring injuries. The injury setbacks combined with fitness concerns meant Fati could only play 15 games in all competitions for the Catalan giants. He scored six goals and provided an assist in that stretch.
The 19-year-old, whose contract expires in June 2027, will hope for better luck in terms of injuries in the 2022-23 season.
#2 Frenkie de Jong - €60 million
Barcelona splurged a whopping €86 million to sign Frenkie de Jong from Ajax in the summer of 2019. The Dutch international has had his moments for Barca, but he has not managed to be as consistent as one would expect.
Since moving to the Camp Nou, De Jong has featured in 140 games across competitions for the Spanish giants, recording 13 goals and 17 assists.
Xavi’s side value the 25-year-old greatly but might be willing to sell the €60 million-rated star for the right price. Premier League giants Manchester United are reportedly (as per Fabrizio Romano) even prepared to shell out €85 million (€65 million base plus add-ons) to get him. But the former Ajax man only wishes to remain at the Camp Nou.
Since he has four more years (June 2026) left on his contract, Barca cannot do anything to force him out.
#1 Pedri - €80 million
One of the most valuable midfielders in the world, Pedri is Barcelona’s crown jewel. The former Las Palmas star has been at the club since July 2020 but feels intertwined with Barca’s fabric.
On his day, Pedri can dominate the best midfields with his immaculate distribution, he can force the opposition to make mistakes with his relentless pressing, and is never afraid to do the dirty work.
Pedri, 19, is valued at €80 million at the moment, and we can wholeheartedly say that he is not overpriced even in the slightest.
The Spain international, who represented his country at the Euros last summer, won the 'Young Player of the Tournament' award and even bagged the 'Kopa Trophy' (France Football’s award for the best performing player under the age of 21) later that year.
The former Las Palmas midfielder played 52 games for the Blaugrana in his debut season (2020-21), recording four goals and six assists.
Last season, he suffered a hamstring injury and tested positive for COVID-19, missing 33 games as a result. Pedri played only 20 times for Barca, scoring five goals.
Also Read: Top 5 stars who have left the Premier League this summer
